NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 8, 2024
The Penguins trade Jake Guentzel to Carolina on the eve of the trade deadline, another scoring milestone for Connor McDavid, a hat trick for the Predators’ Filip Forsberg and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
PENGUINS TRADE GUENTZEL TO THE HURRICANES
NHL.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins traded winger Jake Guentzel and defenseman Ty Smith to the Carolina Hurricanes for winger Michael Bunting, prospects Vasili Ponomarev, Cruz Lucius and Ville Koivunen, a conditional 2024 second-round pick that becomes a first-rounder if the Hurricanes win the 2024 Stanley Cup, and a conditional 2024 fifth-round pick if the Hurricanes win the Cup. The Penguins also retained $1.5 million of Guentzel’s $6 million cap hit.
Pittsburgh Penguins trade winger Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes. (NHL Images)
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes are bucking their recent tradition of avoiding big-ticket rental players at the trade deadline. This is a clear indication that they’re going for it this season. A lack of scoring depth has been an ongoing issue for the Hurricanes. Adding a proven scorer and playoff performer like Guentzel should boost their pursuit of the Cup this season.
Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas reportedly wanted prospects and younger players over draft picks for Guentzel. Bunting played for Dubas when the two were with the Toronto Maple Leafs and is an energetic two-way winger. Ponomarev, Koivunen and Lucius were considered mid-range prospects in The Athletic’s recent ranking of the Hurricanes’ top-15 prospects.
GAME RECAPS
NHL.COM: Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg tallied a hat trick in a 4-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Gustav Nyquist collected three assists as the Predators pushed their points streak to 10 games (9-0-1) as they hold the first Western Conference wildcard berth with 75 points (36-25-3). Bowen Byram had a goal and an assist in his debut with the 29-30-5 Sabres.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres played without center Tage Thompson. He’s listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid collected an assist to extend his assists and points streak to 13 games in a 4-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. He also became the third player this season to reach 100 points. Daniil Tarasov kicked out 29 shots while Dmitri Voronkov scored what proved to be the winning goal for the 22-31-10 Blue Jackets. The Oilers (38-21-2) sit second in the Pacific Division with 78 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid became the sixth player in NHL history with at least seven seasons of 100-plus points.
New Jersey Devils forward Timo Meier netted a hat trick and collected an assist to lead his club over the St. Louis Blues 4-1. The Devils (31-28-4) are six points out of the final Eastern Conference wildcard spot with 66 points. Brandon Saad scored for the slumping Blues (32-28-3) as they won just three of their last 10 games and sit six points out of the final Western wildcard berth.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Before this game, the Blues announced they signed forward Oskar Sundqvist to a two-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $1.5 million. Meanwhile, Sundqvist was also fined $2,000.00 by the NHL department of player safety for embellishment during a Feb. 28 game against the Oilers.
The Vancouver Canucks picked up their third straight win by defeating the Vegas Golden Knights 3-1. Thatcher Demko stopped 27 shots while Phillip Di Guiseppe scored the game-winner for the 41-17-7 Canucks as they sit in second place in the overall standings with 89 points. The Golden Knights (33-23-7) now hold the final Western Conference wildcard spot and are 2-8-1 in their last 10 games.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights recently placed defenseman Alec Martinez on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.
Philadelphia Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway snapped a 1-1 tie in a 2-1 upset of the Florida Panthers. Samuel Ersson made 29 saves for the Flyers (33-23-8) as they hold third place in the Metropolitan Division with 74 points. The 43-17-4 Panthers remain on top of the overall standings with 90 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Earlier in the day, the Panthers announced they signed defenseman Gustav Forsling to an eight-year contract extension with an average annual value of $5.75 million. Forsling is often overshadowed by fellow blueliners Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour but he’s become an invaluable (and underrated) part of their defense corps.
Speaking of the Panthers, forward Nick Cousins was fined $2,000.00 by the NHL department of player safety for embellishment during a Feb. 27 game against the Buffalo Sabres.
The Boston Bruins beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1. Jeremy Swayman turned aside 28 shots, David Pastrnak netted his 39th goal of the season while Brad Marchand and Jake DeBrusk each collected two assists for the 37-13-15 Bruins (89 points) as they sit third in the overall standings. Mitch Marner replied for the Leafs (36-19-8) as they hold third place in the Atlantic Division with 80 points.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies left this game in the first period with a suspected knee injury. There was no update on his condition following the game.
Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen stopped 24 shots in a 4-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens. It was Andersen’s first game since being sidelined by a blood-clotting issue on Nov. 2. Brady Skjei tallied two goals for the Hurricanes (37-19-6), who sit second in the Metropolitan Division with 80 points. Sam Montembeault made 35 saves for the 24-29-10 Canadiens.
Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin netted his 840th career NHL goal in a 6-0 thumping of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Charlie Lindgren turned in a 39-save shutout for the 29-23-9 Capitals (67 points) as they sit five points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final Eastern Conference wildcard berth. The Penguins dropped to 28-25-8 and are eight points behind Tampa Bay.
Speaking of the Lightning, they dropped a 6-3 decision to the Calgary Flames. Yegor Sharangovich got a career-high four points (two goals, two assists) for the 31-26-5 Flames (67 points) as they sit six points behind the Golden Knights for the final Western wildcard spot. Nick Paul had two assists for the 33-25-6 Lightning (72 points) as they’re 1-4-1 in their last six home games.
The surging New York Islanders picked up their fifth straight win by crushing the San Jose Sharks 7-2. Bo Horvat had a goal and two assists for the 28-20-14 Islanders (70 points) as they’re just two points behind the Lightning. Mike Hoffman netted his 10th goal of the season for the 15-40-7 Sharks.
An overtime goal by Kevin Fiala gave the Los Angeles Kings a 4-3 win over the Ottawa Senators. Anze Kopitar collected two assists for the Kings (32-19-11) as they sit in third place in the Pacific Division with 75 points. Drake Batherson had a goal and an assist for the 25-32-4 Senators.
The Minnesota Wild scored four unanswered third-period goals to drop the Arizona Coyotes 5-2. Mats Zuccarello collected three assists while Kirill Kaprizov tallied his 30th goal for the 30-27-6 Wild. Clayton Keller scored his 23rd goal of the season for the 25-33-5 Coyotes.
Looks to be a very slow trade deadline day with multiple trades done already …not much left in the cupboard.
Most of the heavy hitters were traded yesterday! Any crumbs left for todays trade deadline show?
Toffoli, Buchnevich, Vatrano, Chychrun, Markstrom.
Ullmark?
Nice game by the Bruins and good pushback against a Leafs team that wanted to set the tone .. I’m worried in the playoffs that the Leafs will control the physical side of games … Reaves wasn’t involved at all last night except for a few taps with his stick to get Bruins players to bite but nobody did .. Toronto also added a large tough Dman yesterday for the playoffs … Bruins as of now have no answers … Hope I’m wrong but I don’t see Sweeney adding much if anything today
Ullmark?
Would like to see the Bruins add to the D.. but teams looking for a goalie don’t have much available that would help the Bruins … that was a Neely need a tough Dman
Kings really interested in him … I say make them pay
let’s get the rule changed, if you are on LTIR after TDL thrn no playoffs for you. This is getting rediculous
Unless it happens to your team, of course…;)
Not true Lyle.pretty lame comment. The league needs to address the ltir issue or call the Stanley cup the ltir cup. It’s ridicules. Vegas cup last year was due to ltir. Period. They’ve played the ltir game again this year, Tampa previously annd others. Make all teams be cap compliant for playoffs
Pretty lame retort, Richard. Don’t get mad at the Golden Knights for using LTIR. Every team has the same advantage. It’s not like they’re cheating. If your team used it, you’d be saying the same thing. The league (team owners and general managers) had the opportunity twice to “address” LTIR and didn’t. Why? Because they know it works equally for everyone. It’s not like the Golden Knights deliberately injured Mark Stone (their captain and best player) just to garner some advantage here.
Not true Richard. Pretty lame comment. Vegas loses stone to a lacerated spleen but can’t try to shore up their team for a playoff chase? When your team does this and you stop watching them and supporting them in protest then and only then will you be able to back that up.
Lyle, Chrisma I’m not mad at Vegas or any other team that plays by the rules. I’m disappointed with the league, as I stated. I think the ltir rule is ridiculous and abused by any team that can. Why y
Should any team be allowed to be NOT CAP COMPLIANT DURING PLAYOFFS. THEY CANT DURING REGULAR SEASON. Just a ridiculous nhl rule when you can be 10m plus over cap in playoffs.
Here’s the flaw in your argument, Richard: The salary cap doesn’t apply to the playoffs because player contracts only cover the regular season, not the postseason.
Nice to see everyone up early for TDL. Just need George to make it complete! 😉
Well. Not sure who the biggest loser is here. The pens for not getting a decent return? The rangers nucks knights for not beating that offer? Only winner here might be the baby pens. Go wbs! ☹️
Penguins lost. And worse than the team lost to Capitals last night.
Lmao! Every single Pens fan is screaming about this trade. And yes, I called the ask “ridiculous “. Because what they were asking for is a far cry from what they received.
Ask. A good YOUNG roster player, a 1st and equivalent to a 1st “an a prospect “
What they got was Bunting 28 years old, a couple of former 2nd round picks , a former 4th round pick and a conditional 1st and 2nd!
Not one Pittsburgh fan is doing a victory dance here.
But , Yay! Do your victory dance!!!
I was still right . This is NOWHERE near what people were speculating. NOWHERE near the supposed ask.
But hey, congratulations, I guess?
This was meant for “some old guy”
Even better, my bad. It’s a conditional 2nd and 5th.
Upgraded to a 1st IF Carolina reaches the cup final. (Waive goodbye to that 1st now)
And the 5th only happens IF they reach the cup final. (Bye bye 5th)
I like Guentzel, but the Rangers need another left winger like they need a good place kicker.
Ny was never in that race. I think they were mentioned yesterday on some blogs , but I’m pretty sure it was pure speculation. Nothing ever really was being reported by anyone with knowledge.
Ny is thinking / linked more on the lines of Toffoli, Buchnevich, Vatrano etc.
Even the great sensationalist Larry Brooks didn’t mention Guentzel as a possibility.
All signs pointed to Carolina after Mantha went to Vegas and Vancouver said “no thanks “on that ask. It’s why they placed Deangelo, Rannta and Lemieux on waivers yesterday. Carolina looks like the soul serious interested party.
I’m not impressed with the return, but I wouldn’t have even paid that return for a rental.
Clearly not Captain of the Obvious if you had to point out who that was intended for. Hey, congrats to your genius GM for somehow prying Ruhwedel from the Penguins. Start printing that Stanley cup merch in NYC.
Chrisms, the rangers nucks and knights were at a disadvantage – they did not have a player named Bunting.
I suspect the Hurricanes believe they can find better ways to spend $4.5 million over the next two seasons. With Bunting off the books, they will attempt to re-sign Guentzel.
There’s no way Dubas gets someone to pay the “ridiculous” ask for Guentzel. No way. And yet very Obviously someone did. A roster player, 3 prospects, and 2 conditional draft picks sounds like a haul to me, but I’m no expert.
I laid it all out in Rumours section how Dubas absolutely got schooled by The Don. Spanked and kicked to the curb and spat on. Just completely hosed in the deal.
The conditions won’t happen
Asked for 1st, good roster, good prospect for Guentzel
Instead Dubas had to ALSO give up their best AHL player on top of Guentzel
Return:
over paid underperforming worst +/- (-15, note on a +32 team) on Canes; 3rd line winger . Has had 3 years of declining play. Locked in for 2 years past this one
+ 2nd
+ 2 middling (at best) prospects. Outside chance of a handful of NHL games down the road. Prospects are also very small.
+A piece of paper stating that Dubas can negotiate with another prospect
Waddell won this deal , and in spades
And all of those sub quality assets for a player not on the roster beyond this year and Ty Smith. Yeah, Dubas got schooled…🙄
Good news / bad news.
The bad news is we only have 💩 to eat.
The good news? We have tons of it!
Quantity over quality always wins!
Winning!
Dubas, didn’t get schooled. He simply took the best offer he had, or he would have got nothing. That would have been SAD.
Waddell bought what he thought was the best bang for his buck for available trade candidates. I have said all along the “rumored” Guentzel ask was way too high. Because it was, and I doubt it was accurate.
Bunting was a quality player in TOR. A total knob on the ice (also has value), but a productive player.
You boys spend a lot of time scouting Koivunen, Ponomarev and Lucius? The first 2 may both end up as quality NHL players. Or just one, or neither. Ponomarev’s draft year scouting report says “legit 2-way Center”. If just one of them does, or the pick, then Dubas did well.
Gimme a break.
When folks assume NHL GM’s are morons you kinda end up looking like one.
This isn’t an exact science, and there is no guarantee this works out for either team.
The fact that didn’t get a guaranteed first round pick is SAD.
Honestly with the Only thing I hate about the penguins/hurricanes trade as a penguin fan is taking on Bunting and his two more years at 4.5 million a year.
Honestly can’t belittle the prospects or conditions of the picks and not bothered at all with Ty Smith which couldn’t crack a NHL lineup in Pittsburgh in two plus years. Plus Jake will be a free agent at the end of the season.
Honestly if the penguins are taking on a horrible contact of Bunting for two years the penguins should have pushed for guarantee picks or a top prospect for that alone.
Dumas sicking overrated former Toronto castaway trash is greatly concerning.
Massive L return for Guentzel. Who’s eating what words now, Chrisms?
😂. Well. I still maintain that his injury didn’t affect his value. An incompetent gm did. But that crow probably could use some pepper or garlic or paprika or something cause it’s not to yummy.
Just joshin’ regardless!
We all know that Bedard will win rookie of the year .
We’ve known this for 3 years. He plays on a very bad team and has 17 goals and is -36. Dmitri Voronkov also plays on a very bad team and has 17 goals and is +7. Could he at least be mentioned for rookie of the year?